Stocks are higher this morning on no real news. Bonds and MBS are down small.

Janet Yellen discussed the strong economy on Sunday, and again hinted that we will see another rate hike in December. The hurricanes will probably depress growth slightly, but the economy should rebound by year’s end. The consumer is still pretty strong, according to Friday’s retail sales report. Persistently slow inflation has been a surprise, however.

Manufacturing was strong in the NY area according to the Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The index came in at 30, which is the highest reading in 3 years. An increase in shipments and hiring drove the increase, which is one data point that shows the increase in sentiment indicators is actually translating into more business.

This week is the 30 year anniversary of the Crash of 87, and given the run up in the market, people are looking for another one. A lot will depend on earnings season, which is just starting. Given that the market is now dominated by high frequency traders that basically turn off their machines once volatility spikes you could see selling into a vacuum. Cheap commissions and sub-penny bid/ask spreads have pretty much eliminated the market-makers and the NYSE specialist from the game.

Average home sizes are falling in the US after rising for pretty much 3 decades. The average square footage decreased to 2420 square feet from the record of 2520 set in 2015. The Baby Boomer McMansion trend has run its course and builders are beginning to focus on starter homes in order to attract the Millennials.

“The desertion case was tricky to make. According to Bergdahl’s own account, confirmed by an internal military investigation led by Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, Bergdahl’s goal wasn’t to disappear into the Afghan wilderness or (as Trump alleged) turn traitor and defect to the Taliban.

Instead, he had a plan to blow the whistle on (apparently largely imagined) “officer incompetence” and mismanagement in his unit. He aimed to run across 20 miles of hostile territory to get to a forward operating base (FOB) called Sharana and inform the general there about what was going on.

He also planned to report and uncover new intelligence on the Taliban. “When I got back to the FOB, you know, they could say, ‘You left your position,” he said in comments aired on Serial. “But I could say: ‘Well, I also got this information. So what are you going to do?’”

This was a terrible, terrible plan — as became clear when Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban roughly a day after his disappearance.”

Did I suggest that? I may have thought that at one time. I don’t recall if I shared the thought with anyone but my next door neighbor. It always depended on the facts, of course, but I remember when the facts looked better for Bergdahl, early on.

“Grill up a slab-o-meat and serve it to your wife or girlfriend with a glass of wine every so often.”

But I’m not sure if they actually address the core issue vis-a-vis Weinstein and other workplace issues. But of course neither did the original list, other than the perfunctory “don’t harass women” statement before the author got into her wish list.

It is ironic how Pence was pilloried for his stance on this issue, but his approach is the only way to remove any possible questions or suspicions. People who make the argument that he shouldn’t have to worry if he’s not an actual harasser miss the point. He’s a political target and he knows that “Caesar’s wife must be above reproach” especially when it comes to being a conservative religious Republican and the charge of hypocrisy.

Given what the NYT did to McCain in 2008, he’s being smart as a politician. It’s not about the women he works with, it’s about him having an affirmative defense to preempt any accusations, merited or otherwise.